


Forgotten Anniversary

by Statementends (Blueberryshortcake)



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Apocalypse averted, Canon Asexual Character, Fluff, Gen, Good Cows, Teacher AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-02
Updated: 2019-11-02
Packaged: 2021-01-16 18:51:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21276020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blueberryshortcake/pseuds/Statementends
Summary: An Anniversary of sorts takes place, but goes largely unnoticed in favour of better things. Jon and Martin live and are happy.





	Forgotten Anniversary

**Author's Note:**

> Creatrixanimi wrote a post on Tumblr and I had to write a bit.

“Is there something I can do to help?” Jon asked.

The little girl paused, looked ashamed. “I try to write down what you tell us, but it’s all out of order.” She admitted. “And then it takes so long and I don’t hear what you say… I remember a lot better if I don’t have to write it down.”

He smiled at her kindly. “I can help with that. I’ll print out the notes for you in advance and you can just listen, then later for homework you can look back at the notes. Do you think that will help?”

She nodded hopefully, but still looked worried. “Won’t… won’t the other kids say I’m dumb or it’s cheating?”

“Not if I have anything to say about it,” Jon reassured. “Everyone needs help in different ways, and not everyone learns the same as everyone else. Looking at things differently isn’t wrong or bad, alright? And learning the material isn’t cheating. It’s just learning.”

“Okay.” She looked a bit brighter. “Thank you, Mr. Sims!”  
“You’re welcome, go on now, I’m sorry I kept you.”

She smiled and waved and quickly exited the classroom.

Jon took a long satisfied breath and packed up for the day. He looked at the little desks, which still made him smile seeing them. He headed out the door. The school was small in the middle of the little town. The town that had become home. 

He felt so free considering where he was a year ago. 

“Jon!”

Martin was standing at the fence waiting for him as usual to walk home with him. The children had taken to calling him the ‘Other Mr. Sims.’ Martin would flush, happily embarrassed trying to explain they weren’t married.

It was ridiculous really.

Why would he keep the name Sims when he could have a name like Blackwood?

He blushed at the  _ maybe one day _ tingling in his brain. 

Jon came up to him. Martin leaned down so Jon could peck him on the cheek. Martin handed him a thermos of tea and they began walking up the lane. 

“How was your day?” Martin asked. 

“I think I’ve finally solved why Angela has been doing well in tests, but badly with homework.”

“Oh good! I know you were worried about that. You know it’s funny. If anyone had asked me before I would have said children were not people you would like to deal with, and yet I’m completely unsurprised at how well you get on with them. You’re such a good teacher.” 

Jon ducked his head, pleased. 

“It’s easy. I just do the opposite of what all my teachers did for me.” Jon cleared his throat. “And you?” He asked. “Any good cows today?”

Martin snickered. “They’re all good cows, Jon, but yes. A particularly wooly one. I think you’ve been calling her Miss Thompson?”

“Oh yes! She is a very good cow.” Jon grinned. They teased each other back and forth.

“Feeling peckish at all? We can… stop on the way home,” Martin said slowly. Jon picked up on their code and nodded.

“Yes, if you wouldn’t mind? Maybe the grocers? Mr. Andrewson tends to have a lot to say.” 

“Oh perfect, I need to get some apples.”

“Apples?”

“You like apples.”

“...”

“You do. Wherever I buy them you take some. And your students are always giving them to you and I never see them pile up at home.”

“Well…”

“Jon?” Martin asked suspiciously.

“Julianna likes apples.”

“Have you been feeding the cows our apples, Jon?”

“Well… they like apples?”

Martin tried to look stern, but he gave up falling into fond giggles. “You’re a ridiculous man.”

Jon pouted. “Mr. Mortimer said it was fine.” 

“I’m not talking about if it’s fine for the cows, Jon.” Martin lightly bumped him with his shoulder. “Apples are good for humans too.” 

“Yes… I don’t… I’ve never really liked the skin and--did I ever tell you about the tooth apple?”

“Do I want to know about it?”

“Mm, not really.”

“I’ll start buying more oranges and we’ll say no more then.” 

“Deal.” 

They continued their way towards the grocery store. Jon stopped suddenly. Martin looked at him curiously.

“That scarf is lovely on you,” Jon said to the lady passing him by. “ _ Where did you get it? _ ”

The lady stopped, beamed at him. “You like it? It was a gift from my sister--it’s a bit of a story actually. You see, we were separated at birth. Had no idea the other existed.”

“Really?” Jon’s focus was completely on her. Martin smiled and listened along. Jon’s focus didn’t come off as gaunt and hungry anymore. It was the pleasant feeling of someone taking a real interest in what you had to say. The wonderful feeling of being actually heard by another person. 

The lady continued excitedly, regaling them with the story of the two separated sisters, how they met by complete accident, how the scarf came into play, going back and forth between them as they kept just missing each other.” 

“But I’ve just been rattling on,” The lady flushed.

“It’s a very good story,” Jon assured her. He looked a bit more energetic now. 

“You know, I’ve never told anyone about it. We were always worried about our families knowing and I just… I guess I just extended it to not telling anyone… but… maybe I should. It is a really good story, isn’t it? And I--I think I’m tired of keeping it a secret.” 

“I think that’s a good idea,” Martin said. Martin hooked his arm around Jon’s. 

“Very nice speaking to you, Judith.” Jon nodded his head in parting and they continued on their way. Martin hurried Jon along a little. The lady hadn’t told them her name. She didn’t inquire. Just kept walking the opposite direction.

“I think we can skip the grocers?”

“Mm. Yes that was … filling.” 

“Good. And it still. It’s still good then?” Martin asked.

“Yes,” Jon said. “It’s… it’s so much better. I don’t…” He paused, trying to find a way to describe it. “It’s like I was eating heavy foods with the…Statements. But with the… Questions it’s… like a healthy salad. More nutritious, better for you, and no nightmares.” 

There were dreams. A universe of little moments and stories, and hidden secrets that needed to be spoken that played in his galaxy. And the people there weren’t scared. They were smiling. Happy to be unburdened. Happy to share.

He hoped the Beholding choked on it.

More likely the Eye got just as much from it as it did fear. After all it wanted to Know. They had thought the Powers fed off terror, but maybe it was just easier to feed them fear. It was easy to create monsters. It was harder to be good. 

But happier.

Learning what he did of Magnus and the other various cults it didn’t do much for his belief that they knew a fraction of what they were talking about. They got their information from Raynor. Of course they were bias towards a horrific world. 

They reached home. A letter was waiting on their doorstep.

Martin picked it up automatically, running his eyes over it carefully.

“I still don’t think he’d try the same trick again.” Jon said forcing for a light tone.

“Better to be careful though.” 

Jon silently agreed. They headed in. Jon put his bag down and tried not to be interested in what the letter said. He could still remember the sting of words being ripped out of his throat. If Martin hadn’t forgotten his wallet… it might have gotten bad… 

But Martin had come back. Saw Jon frozen in terror reading out Jonah Magnus’ ritual. He grabbed the letter from him ripping it up and pulling Jon to him. Jon could still feel the words moving on his lips, but they were muffled, pushing his face onto Martin’s shoulder. Slowly the compulsion faded. The storm that had started to rage broke.

And they were fine. 

Martin had saved the world. He liked to tell him that as much as possible. Martin would always blush and shake his head at him. 

Jon wondered if he could even still be used as a tool for Jonah Magnus. It was only his bad days that he thought the answer was yes. Therapy was helping. And Martin of course. 

“Melanie says they’re putting up the first episode of the new podcast, and you are not allowed to miss it, bad wifi or no.” 

Jon rolled his eyes. “I’m going to write her back and explain to her how safehouses work.”

“I’m sure she’ll love that.” Martin snorted. “You were the one that gave them our address.”

“In case of emergencies.”

“Really?”

“...And I wanted to make sure she was doing alright…” Jon admitted. “Daisy and Basira’s check ins are nice, but it’s good to hear from her directly. Both of them. Besides it’s only so safe I suppose. He knows exactly where we are. I think I’m just not useful anymore, at least… at least I hope that’s the case. Oh--did Melanie mention--?” 

“The Admiral is apparently still adorable and fluffy and she implies you should be very jealous of her because she was petting him as she dictated this letter.”

“I am. He is very fluffy and adorable. Did you ever meet the Admiral?”

“No actually. That was--ah… timing was never there.” 

“Right, right.”

“One day I’ll get you a cat.”

“You’re allergic. Very allergic.”

“I’ve been researching. I have plans.”

Jon felt his heart swell a little. “Do you?”

“Lots of plans.” Martin gave him a fond look. 

“Involving me?”

“Every single one of them, yeah.”

Martin handed him the letter and kissed the top of his head. “I’m going to start supper.

“Thank you.” Jon caught his hand before Martin could move too far away. “Thank you.” he repeated more firmly.

Martin squeezed his hand. “I love you, Jon.”

“I love you too. S-so much.”

They let go. Martin headed into the kitchen. Jon sat down with his letter already mentally penning a response. 

The anniversary of the almost apocalypse went by unacknowledged. 


End file.
